Folded paper napkin



Aug. 1s, 1931.

E. C. MORRIS FOLDED PAPER NAPKIN Filed' Feb.A l s, 1928 42 Sheets-Sheet 2 ha iwf/j Patented Aug. 18, 1931 PATENT OFFICE ELMEB C. MORRIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS FOLDED EAPER NAPKIN Application led February 3, 1928. Serial No. 251,499.

My invention relates to a folded paper napkin, and more particularly to a napkin characterized by a novel and improved sequence and arrangement of folds.

The invention has for its object the provision of a napkin which may be produced cheaply by automatic machinery and which ossesses many advantages over existmg orms of folded napkins, particularly when lo used in conjunction with dispensing .con-

tainers in accordance with the prevailing practice.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, and in 3g which:

Figure 1 is a erspective View in unfolded form of a napkin embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing z5 the preferred completed form of the article with the end tab portions slightly separated lfirom the central body portion of the nap- Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a completed napkin of the form shown in Figure 2, to more clearly illustrate the rein orcement of the central portion;

Figure 4.- is a Vertical sectional View of a package or plurality of napkins placed upright in a container such as an ordinary glass tumbler;

Figure 5 is a front View of a dispensing container of the type largely employed to render the napkins conveniently accessible to the user;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the container shown in Figure 5, illustrating a package of napkins disposed therein; and

Fi re 7 is a plan view of a napkin in fiat condltion showing the lines of fold.

It is known that, heretofore, paper napkins have 'been folded in such amanner as to facilitate unfolding and also that folds of various types have been used with a view a series of longitudinal folds in one direction along the lines 8-9, 10-11, and 12--13, alternating with a series of substantially parallel longitudinal folds in the opposite direction along the lines 14-15, 16-17 and 18-19. With the sheet thus folded, there 70 is produced a rectangular strip of material composed of a plurality of superposed sections joined at the crease lines of the altervnating folds. In the preferred embodiment,

the article is then completed by making two reverse transverse folds of the longitudinal strip, one fold along the line 20--21 of Figure 2 to produce the tab portion 23, and a second reverse fold along the line 24-25 producing the tab portion 26. The positions B0 of the fold lines 20-21, and 2li-25 are such that the combined length of the two end tab portions 23 and 26 exceeds the length of the central body portion 27 extending between said fold lines 20-21 and 24-25. In 95 this manner the free end portions of the folded tabs are co-extensive to form an overlap of the tabs in the completed article, and this overlap is preferably disposedcentralvly of the completed article, as shown in 9 Fi ure 3.

typical dispensin container is shown in Figures 5 and 6 an consists of an inner magazine member 28 which telescopes into an outer casing 29. The member 28 is open at either side for loading with a package of napkins and is provided with a leaf spring 30 which is compressed to the right in'Figure 6 upon filling the holder with a package of napkins and Which is especially 10 had many o constructed to propel the package toward the front of the container and to maintain a uniform pressure against the napkins as they are successively removed. An opening 31 in front of the casing 29 is of appropriate size and location to permit of the convenient Withdrawal of the. napkins, one at a time, and in using the plurality of napkins folded in accordance with the present invention, the increased thickness throughout the central portion causes the tab of the foremost napkin to protrude through the openf ing and thus facilitate Withdrawal, as shown in Figure 6.

The service of napkins by means of dispensing containers is rapidly superseding older methods for sanitary and other reasons, and the aper napkins heretofore used Ejectionable features, amon which was the tendency to adhere to eac other through friction and cause the Withdrawal of more than one napkin at a time or cause Wrinkling and disarrangement of the napkin next succeeding the one being withdrawn. In the present invention, the resistance to removal has been reduced to a minimum by reason of the fact that each end portion is approximately two-thirds the thickness of the reinforced portion and obviously this same proportion is present when the napkins are in packages. Such friction or adhesion as occurs is confined along the edges of the opening and the folding arran ement facilitates the Withdrawal of one nap in at a time with ease and convenience and Without disarranging succeeding napkins. Furthermore, an important advantage lies in the fact that it is unnecessary for a package of napkins to be placed in the container in a certain manner. As apparent in Figure 6, the package of napkins may be inverted or reversed in the container Without affecting the mode of operation as described.

In lieu of a container of the type referred to, a package of napkins may be placed for convenient service in an ordinary tumbler as shown in Figure 4, and in such use the reinforced central portion of the package tends to maintain the napkins in an upright position and the removal of one napkin at a time is also facilitated by reason of the upper ends being separated as shown, due to the increased thickness at the center of the package.

The distinctive manner of folding is of particular advantage where dispensers of this latter type are used inasmuch as by the `reduction in length together with the reinforcement by the triple thickness and overlapping of the central portion, each napkin is rendered more staple and maintains itself against crumpling or sagging and therefore, in an upright position as the napkins are successively removed.

Furthermore, the distinct manner of folding obviates any necessity to maniplate the napkin in unfolding. Simply by grasping an outer layer at either side of a tab and giving the article a Hip or jerk, the napkin readily drops into unfolded position similar toI that shown in Figure 1.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not Wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth,

but desire to avail myself of such variation and modifications as come 'Within the scope of the appended claims. o

Having described my invention, whatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. As an element of a package to be dispensed through a central opening in the face of a dispensing cabinet, a rectangular paper napkin folded along lines parallel with an edge of the napkin to form superposed elongated plies, said plies being folded transversely of their longitudinal dimension to form rectangular tabs With their free ends in overlapping relation at the intermediate part of the element, to provide in a package of stacked elements a thick central part that tends to bulge the free end of theforeinost tab through the central opening of the containing cabinet as the package is fed toward said opening.

2. As an element of a package to be dispensed through a central opening in the face of a dispensing cabinet, a rectangular paper napkin folded along lines parallel with an edgevof the napkin to form superposed elongated plies, said plies being reversely folded transversely of their longitudinal dimension to form rectangular tabs on'opposite sides of the intermediate part of the element with the free ends ofthe tabs in overlapping relation, the overlapping tabs providing in a package of stacked elements a thick central part that tends to bulge the free end of the foremost tab through the central opening of the contain-- ing c abinet as the package is fed toward said opening.

3. As an element of a package to be dispensed through a central opening in the face of a dispensing cabinet, a rectangular paper napkin folded along lines parallel With an edge of the napkin to form superposed elongated plies, said plies being folded transversely of their longitudinal dimension to form rectangular tabs with their free ends in overlapping relation at the intermediate part of the element, the tabs of elements in a package being interspaced with the main parts of the elements to maintain the end parts of the elements in spaced relation to facilitate the separation of the elements in dispensing the same.

4. As an element of a package to be dispensed through a central opening in the face of a dispensing cabinet, a rectangular paper napkin folded along lines parallel with an edge of the napkin to form superposed elongated plies, said plies being reversely folded transversely of their longitudinal dimension to form rectangular tabs on opposite sides of the element with the free ends of the tabs in overlapping relation on the intermediate part of the element,

the tabs of adjacent elements in a package abutting each other and tending to maintain in spaced relation the end parts of the elements to facilitate the separation of the elements in dispensing the same. 5. As an element of a package to be dispensed through a central opening in the face of a dispensing cabinet, a rectangular paper napkin folded along lines parallel with an edge of the napkin to form superposed elongated plies, said plies being folded transversely of their longitudinal dimension to form rectangular tabs on opposite sides of the element with the free ends of the tabs in overlapping relation on the intermediate part of the element, to provide in a package of stacked elements a thick central part that tends to bulge the free end of the foremost tab through the central opening of the containing cabinet as the package is fed toward said opening, the tabs of the adjacent elements abutting each other and tending to maintain in spaced relation the end parts of the elements to facilitate the separation of the elements in dispensing the same.

6. An article adapted to be dispensed from la holder, comprising a sheet of paper folded transversely to form a pluralit of transverse sections, the end portions o the folded sheet being folded on lines transverse to said irst fold lines in opposite directions upon opposite sides of the sheet, each end section' having a length substantially less than the intermediate section of said sheet, the sheet when thus folded being in condition for dispensing from the holder.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ELMER C. MORRIS. 

